


Diamonds

by Anonymous



Category: Assassin's Creed - All Media Types
Genre: 40-Year-Old Jacob, AU, But Jacob saves you, Cussing, Dirty Talk, F/M, Fingering, Jacob just wants you to be safe, Nipple Play, Older Jacob, Oral, Post ac syndicate, Pre Jack the Ripper, Protective Jacob, Romance, Smut, Swearing, The reader gets badly hurt, Very AU, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-07
Updated: 2017-03-11
Packaged: 2018-09-30 12:29:54
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 13,355
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10163078
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: "This is how diamonds are made - millions of years of pressure. But if you refuse to break, if you can just hang on somehow, then eventually, when someone digs you up and sets you free, you'll be a gem. Tough, sparkling and... beautiful."





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I don't know why I'm so inspired to write Jacob lately, but I'm not complaining. I love him! 
> 
> He may seem a bit OOC in this, but I thought that portraying him a bit more seriously fit with what goes on in the story. I've tried to incorporate the more playful side of his personality as well, so hopefully I've captured that.

Your body was numb, having endured too many hits to count. It was hard to see now, your right eye already swollen from an earlier punch. Your left cheek was already bruising and your lip was split and bloody. Every time you received a kick to the torso, your body seemed to curl defensively.

You'd been minding your own business when you'd seen gang members picking on a defenceless child. Perhaps your actions weren't very intelligent, as you had no experience whatsoever when it came to combat, but you couldn't stand by and watch them hurt a child. So you'd stepped in, successfully diverting their attention from the little girl, allowing her to escape.

Unfortunately your actions had also successfully made you their next target.

You'd panicked slightly when you realised that there was no one to save _you_ , but you tried to stand your ground anyway. Tried and failed.

They didn't like your defiance, or the way you'd interfered in their business. They wanted you to cower before them, not stand proudly, attempting to challenge their authority. And so they'd _made_ you cower.

In fact, they got much more out of you than that. How depraved must a person be to get enjoyment from another person's pained screams? These people made sure that you knew exactly how much satisfaction they got from your suffering.

"This'll put you in your place!" One of them had hissed as they delivered a particularly brutal kick to your ribs, causing you to choke on your breath.

You wondered if it would ever end. Would you die like this? Helpless and absolutely pathetic?

But fate - or perhaps it was just pure luck - decided to intervene, and suddenly the assaults on you stopped. You hardly gave yourself a moment to be relieved, instead just focusing on breathing in and out.

You were vaguely aware of a confrontation happening around you, but you didn't really have the strength or willpower to focus on anything but yourself.

Eventually, the noise died down, and you felt feminine hands checking you over.

"She's in a bad state, Jacob," a female voice softly spoke.

You then felt a larger, more masculine touch, as you were lifted into strong arms.

"I'll take her back to my place," a male voice replied, close to your ear. "It's closest."

He began to walk, with you held limp in his arms. You could faintly hear him asking that you stay conscious, requesting that you focus on his voice, but it wasn't enough. The promise of sleep seduced you, and you didn't resist, quickly letting yourself embrace the darkness.

 

* * *

 

It was the awareness of several hushed voices that finally pulled you away from your slumber. You struggled to open your eyes, managing only to pry open the left one. You quickly surveyed your surroundings, seeing that you were in a dimly lit room.

"...rest, along with peace and quiet is what she needs now," you heard a voice say.

"I understand," the male voice from before responded. "Thank you, Doctor."

"I'll return tomorrow," the Doctor continued. "Try and see if she will eat something when she wakes."

There was no verbal response, and shortly afterwards you heard a door close shut.

"Will you be okay looking after her by yourself, Jacob?" The woman from before asked.

"Yes," the man, Jacob, replied. "Go home and rest, Addy."

Again, you soon heard a door open and close, and it seemed that you were alone with your rescuer.

You heard footsteps approaching you, and tried to turn to see the man. He soon came into your view, average height, with broad shoulders and a certain air of confidence. His eyes were concerned as he looked at you, but you saw a little bit of relief there too, once he noticed you were awake.

"How do you feel?" He asked, sitting in a chair next to the bed you were in.

_Confused, sore, upset, **vulnerable**..._

That was honestly how you felt at that moment, but you couldn't seem to get a word out.

"I..." you croaked, cringing at how hoarse your voice sounded.

You quickly closed your mouth again, deciding to forego any further attempts at speech. At least for the time being.

"Not great then, eh?" He joked half-heartedly.

You watched him with curiosity. Was that guilt you saw in his eyes? What reason did _he_ have to feel guilty? He'd saved you after all.

"Can you at least nod and shake your head?" He asked gently.

You nodded slightly, earning a small smile from him.

"Yes or no questions it is then," he decided. "Would you like some water?"

You nodded again.

"How about something to eat?" He continued.

Remembering the doctor's words, you nodded your agreement.

"Okay, I'll be right back," he said, quickly getting up and disappearing from the room.

When he returned, he carefully helped you sit up, being mindful of your wounds. You were grateful for his gentle touch after the physical abuse you'd received earlier. But that gratitude was quickly replaced by frustration.

Deep down, you knew that you couldn't move and he was only trying to help you, but you felt like an invalid as he fed you a warm stew, one spoonful at a time. He seemed to sense your frustration, as he sent you a sympathetic look.

"Don't worry love," he soothed you. "You'll get better. But for now, let me help you, eh?"

Swallowing a mouthful of the stew, you nodded. He was right, you only had to be like this for a little while.

When you'd finished as much of your meal as you could, he helped you settle back down onto the bed.

"I'm Jacob, by the way," he told you.

You nodded, giving him a hesitant smile.

"I suppose you can tell me your name, later,"

Your smile widened a little in amusement.

"You should probably get some rest," he went on. "I'll be here if you need me."

You frowned a little, realising that you must be occupying his bed. You felt guilty at the idea of him sitting in that chair, watching over you.

"Don't worry about me, love," he said, seeming as though he could read your thoughts. "Get some kip, or you'll never get better."

You decided to do as he said, knowing that he was right. But you felt annoyed with yourself, and desired to show him at least some show of gratitude.

"Thank you...Jacob..." you managed to say weakly.

He smiled widely, and adjusted the covers to sit a little more comfortably over you.

"It's alright, love," he murmured. "Go to sleep now."

And you did. Finally obeying his orders, you let sleep claim you and rested peacefully for the rest of the night.

 

* * *

 

The next day you managed to stay awake for several hours, but you still needed to get as much rest as possible. You were able to speak a little more with Jacob, telling him your name and other basic details.

The doctor came to check in on you, and he was adamant that you take things slowly. You didn't like the sound of that, but you knew that he was only asking you to do the best thing for your recovery.

The days went on, and soon you'd been in Jacob's apartment for a week. He wasn't always there, but he always left someone to look after you. Most of them kept to themselves, but Addy, the woman who had helped save you, liked to engage in conversation. She was a nice girl, and easy to talk to.

You couldn't help but wonder, though, how exactly Jacob knew all of these people. You knew that he and Addy had taken on the gang members and defeated them. Were they part of a gang too? Somehow, that didn't quite add up to you.

When you were eventually able to walk on your own again, you felt immense relief at the small slice of freedom. However that feeling was quickly replaced with horror when you found a looking-glass and saw how bruised and battered you were.

You hardly recognised yourself.

A wave of emotions seemed to hit you all at once. Anger, sorrow, insecurity and helplessness were the most prominent. And Jacob chose that exact moment to check on you.

He quickly took note of your distraught expression and stepped closer to you, calling your name softly.

"Look at me, love," he pressed gently.

But you couldn't look at him. You felt so utterly useless. All of a sudden your progress in recovery wasn't quick enough, your physical appearance was too tainted to be seen by others, and your lack of ability to defend yourself repulsed you.

"Look at me," he tried again, sterner this time.

His words pulled you from your own self-loathing. Reluctantly, you raised your eyes to meet his own.

"Whatever's going on in your head right now, overcome it." He ordered. "You've been through a lot, but you _can_ get through this."

"I'm pathetic," you whispered dejectedly.

"That's bullshit and you know it," he retorted, his voice not leaving room for argument.

You didn't say anything, just stared at him sadly. He let out a frustrated sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose with his fingers.

"Look, I could stand here for hours trying to make you feel better, but the only one who can achieve that is you," he continued on. "But at least know that I have faith in you. I see that you're strong and resilient, and even though you might not believe that right now, doesn't make it any less true."

Despite his belief that his words couldn't make you feel better, he achieved exactly that. Something about the sincerity in his tone convinced you of his words. The fact that he cared enough to even try made you feel happy.

"I still look hideous," you mumbled, though you sounded less pathetic than before.

"I can't change the way you see yourself," Jacob replied. "But I don't agree with you. Our scars only show our strength and that's what I see right now. A strong woman."

You felt as though a weight had lifted off your shoulders at his words, and you stepped closer to him.

"Thank you, Jacob," you said sincerely. "You may not realise it, but your opinion means a lot to me."

He smiled, holding out his arms to you. You didn't hesitate, stepping into his embrace. His arms around you left you feeling safe and warm. You'd never hugged him before, but it felt nice and almost _right_ to be in his arms.

"If I can make you feel even a little bit better, then I'm satisfied with that," he said quietly, his lips brushing against the top of your head.

 

* * *

 

After that shared moment between the two of you, you felt yourself becoming closer to Jacob. You cherished the time you got to spend with him, and you were extremely grateful for everything he'd done for you.

You sometimes wondered why exactly he had taken you in as he did. Saving you was one thing, but he was personally seeing to your recovery, every step of the way. You also couldn't ignore the look of guilt you still caught in his eyes at times.

You decided to ask Addy one day, when she was watching over you. She was hesitant to answer you initially, but after some prodding she gave in.

"Those men and women used to be part of the Rooks, Jacob's own gang," she explained.

You were a little taken aback at the revelation that Jacob actually was part of a gang, and the leader no less.

"More and more of the Rooks have been betraying him lately," she continued. "Leaving to join Jack, a man who Jacob raised like his own, but has now gone against everything Jacob ever taught him."

You were quiet, taking in everything Addy had said. It must have hurt Jacob deeply to have the man turn on him like that, and then have his own gang members leave him too.

"He feels guilty because he thinks he's responsible for you getting hurt," Addy revealed. "However indirectly involved he is, those men used to work for him."

"It's _not_ his fault though," you argued softly. "He's not responsible for their choices or their actions."

"I know," Addy sighed. "But that's just how Jacob is, and everything that's been happening lately has left its toll on him."

 

* * *

 

Addy's revelation left you feeling your own guilt. You'd been so caught up in your own hurt that you'd failed to notice that Jacob was hurting too. From the moment he'd saved you from the rogue Rooks, he'd always been concerned about your comfort. He'd done so much for you and you'd done so little in return.

You wanted to make it up to him, but it would require asking for his help one last time. You'd decided to help him with his problems surrounding Jack. No matter what it took. But you had one request before you'd be able to do so.

"You want to what?" Jacob asked incredulously, after you'd voiced your request to him.

"I want you to train me," you repeated. "Teach me how to fight."

His eyes were wide and he sputtered for a few moments, clearly trying to find the right words.

"You're not fully recovered yet," he argued.

"I'm a lot better than I was," you retorted. "I'm nearly back to normal."

It was true, most of your injuries had healed. It wouldn't be long before you were a hundred percent again.

"Why do you want to learn?" He asked, sounding almost hesitant to hear your answer.

"I could have died," you said softly. "If it wasn't for you and Addy, I'd be just another dead body on the streets."

"Don't talk like that!" He cut in, his eyes full of pain.

"Jacob," you said gently, reaching forward to take hold of his hands. "I want to know how to defend myself."

It was a reasonable request, one that Jacob couldn't really deny, no matter how much he wanted to, and so he reluctantly agreed.

"But we're not starting until you've recovered completely," he said sternly.

"Okay," you agreed with a small smile. "Thank you, Jacob."

He didn't go easy on you, when you finally did start. He was relentless in his training, and you almost wondered whether he was purposely trying to make you give up on the idea. Still, he never caused you any physical pain, always stopping right before a blow hit you, and pointing out where you'd gone wrong and how that mistake could get you killed.

He worked you to the bone, but you kept your end goal in mind and it helped you push forward.

"I'm beginning to wish that I'd been wrong about you," he muttered one day after long hours of training.

"What do you mean?" You asked.

"When I said you're strong and resilient," he clarified. "Clearly I was right, but I wish I wasn't."

"Jacob..." you began, but he cut you off.

"I don't like the idea of you having to fight someone," he said, frustrated.

"Would you rather I be defenceless and have no chance at all?" You retorted.

"No," he let out a heavy sigh. "That's the last thing I want."

 

* * *

 

When Jacob finally deemed that you were ready, he gave into your request that he let you take on the real deal. The two of you walked through the streets of Whitechapel, in search of some rogue Rooks to test your skills on.

You were a mix of nerves and excitement, but you felt confident knowing that Jacob was beside you, should anything go wrong.

Before long, you spotted a group of four of Jack's Rooks and they seemed to catch sight of you simultaneously. Their grins were sadistic as they began to taunt the two of you, crossing the street to meet you half way.

Jacob had previously agreed to let you take the lead, but you noticed that his hands were clenched into fists at his sides, and it was obvious that he was finding it hard to restrain himself. You didn't give it much more thought though, as you sprang into action, taking on the first Rook to get close to you.

You couldn't help but feel a little high on adrenaline, proud of yourself as you countered the four Rooks with relative ease. Jacob had trained you well.

But apparently he didn't agree, because one moment you were taking them on, and the next they were in a crumpled heap at your feet. And it hadn't been _you_ who'd put them there.

"Jacob!" You hissed, spinning around to face him.

But the obvious turmoil on his face made your anger fade.

"I can't do this," he said, his voice a choked whisper. "I can't just stand by, knowing you could get hurt."

"Jacob..." you repeated, softer this time.

"I can't get the image of you beaten up and nearly dead out of my head," he continued. "I can't help it, I just want to protect you."

His words were a little overwhelming, so heartfelt, yet you couldn't really understand why he would feel so protective of you.

You figured it was probably the fact that he felt guilty for the way you'd been hurt. That, and he'd helped you recover and probably didn't want to see you in that horrible state ever again.

"Jacob, I'm sorry," you said, reaching out to him. "I never wanted to hurt you."

He quickly pulled you into his arms, and you let him embrace you, wrapping your own arms around his torso. He nuzzled his nose into your neck, and the sensation made your breath hitch.

It was times like this when it was hard to control your emotions. He seemed to be unaware of how hard he made it to not fall for him.

He pulled away slightly, and you were expecting him to compose himself and pull away completely. But what he did instead, was something you'd never expected. Not in a million years.

He pressed a tender kiss to your cheek, his lips lingering upon your skin. Your heart fluttered in your chest and you briefly wondered if this could possibly be real.

He gave you ample time to pull away, and when you didn't, Jacob took that as incentive to explore further. He moved lower, pressing another kiss to your jaw, and then at the corner of your mouth. Your heart beat quickly in your chest, as you waited in anticipation.

"I don't want to lose you," he whispered against your lips.

"You won't lose me, Jacob," you responded breathlessly.

His lips were on yours in an instant, careful and affectionate. They set a gentle rhythm and you found yourself eagerly responding. Your arms tightened around him, and his hand moved up to lightly run his fingers through your hair.

He was so tender with you, as though he was afraid of breaking you. You pulled away slightly, holding back a laugh when you saw how annoyed he was at your action.

"I'm not a fragile doll, Jacob. I won't break if you hold me a little tighter, or kiss me a little more roughly."

Something seemed to spark in his eyes at your words, and he grinned devilishly at you. Gone was the broken look he'd had only moments ago. Instead he looked almost playful. It was something you'd rarely seen in him, but it suited him much better.

"You want it rough, eh?" He asked huskily and you bit your lip at how attractive he was in that moment.

He didn't give you a chance to respond though, as he pulled you closer to him, his hold on you tightening, just as you'd suggested. His lips met yours quickly, passionate and demanding, and although you appreciated his gentle behaviour from earlier, his actions now were lighting a fire in your lower belly.

When the lack of oxygen became too much for the two of you, and you broke apart, Jacob didn't allow you to get too far away from him. He leant down, his head buried in the crook of your neck, and his arms still tight around you. You could feel his breath caressing the skin of your neck, and you gently ran your fingers through his hair.

"I'm not letting you go now," he said, lifting his head up so he could meet your gaze.

"I wouldn't want you to," you replied and his hold on you tightened slightly.

"But I want you to let me defend myself," you pressed. "You can't always be there to protect me."

He sighed, loosening his hold somewhat, but not letting you go completely.

"I know," he relented. "I've trained you now, and you can look after yourself if you have to. But that doesn't mean I want you to go looking for trouble."

You looked away from him, knowing he wouldn't like what you were about to say.

"I wanted to learn for another reason," you admitted. "Not just for my own self-defence."

His grip tightened again, almost as though he expected you to go running off then and there, looking for danger.

"I want to help you with Jack," you said softly.

His eyes widened. "How did you -"

It seemed to dawn on him rather quickly.

"Addy," he gritted out, clearly annoyed.

"I sort of forced it out of her," you tried to pacify him, but he wasn't convinced. "You can't do this alone, Jacob. Let me help you, as you've helped me."

"I'm not dragging you into this," he argued. "I helped you because I wanted to. You don't owe me anything."

"But I feel as though I do!"

His eyes pierced into yours, challenging you silently. But when he realised that you would not relent, he let out an aggravated groan.

"Fine, if you feel like you owe me, then you can make it up to me by staying safe! I'll handle Jack, he's my responsibility."

"Not everything has to be your responsibility!"

"God dammit!" He snapped, pulling away from you completely. "You don't understand everything. You have no idea, not even the slightest amount of comprehension as to who Jack is or what he's capable of."

"Then explain it to me," you said, equally as frustrated.

He faltered a little, his anger dying down.

"I can't," he said softly. "I'm sorry but I can't."

You shot him an annoyed look but he reached out for you again, his gaze turning desperate.

"Please, love," he begged. "Just promise me you'll stay out of this."

"Why can't you just explain this all to me?" You pushed.

"Because it's bigger than just me," he answered. "I can't just tell you because I want to. The less you know for now the better."

You wanted to argue with him further, but the desperation in his eyes stopped you.

"Please promise me that you'll let me deal with Jack," he persisted. "I already feel like I'm losing everything I've worked for. I can't lose you too."

He was so sincere, so clearly scared at the idea of anything happening to you, that you couldn't help but give in to him. It was quickly dawning on you just exactly how serious this was. You would have liked answers, but for the time being you'd have to put your trust in Jacob and hope that one day you'd be able to understand everything.

"I promise," you agreed.

He let out a sigh of obvious relief and pulled you tightly to him.

"Thank you," he murmured into your ear. "I just want you safe, love. I know you can handle yourself, but I need to do this alone."

"I understand," you assured him. "I want you safe too. Promise me you'll be careful, no matter what."

"I promise," he said instantly.

You let him capture your lips affectionately once again, eager to feel him pour all of his love for you into the kiss. But, wrapped up in your bliss at that moment, you couldn't have known that there was a shadow looming over the two of you, threatening your happiness.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Autumn of Terror has finally arrived, and Jacob will do anything to keep you safe from Jack's madness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ** WARNING ** 
> 
> In case anyone didn't notice the change in rating and tags, this chapter has smut in it. The descriptions of blood etc., as well as swearing/cussing have also increased. Read at your own discretion.
> 
> I've never written smut before this, so I'm really sorry if it's absolutely awful.
> 
> There's a relatively big time jump between the last chapter and this one. 
> 
> This is a long as chapter and very AU from the original Jack the Ripper DLC. I hope you guys enjoy it anyway.
> 
> A huge thank you to Siren1995. I struggled so much to come up with an idea for this chapter. The AU stuff was all her idea. Thank you lovely!

A hand was gently cupping your cheek, and you felt warm lips against your neck. You stirred, slowly waking from a deep sleep. The lips moved upwards, before finally reaching your mouth. You let out a gasp as you felt teeth taking hold of your bottom lip, tugging lightly.

Your eyes fluttered open, and it took you a moment to adjust to the warm sunlight pouring in through the window. Your gaze settled on Jacob as he looked lovingly down at you.

"Morning, love," he murmured huskily.

"Mm, good morning," you replied with a smile, stretching slightly.

He bent his head back down, peppering kisses along your jawline, and then back down to your neck.

"This is definitely a wonderful way to wake up," you commented, moving your hands to his hair.

Your fingers ran lazily through the brown strands as he left a trail of kisses down your naked body. You let out a soft moan as he got lower and lower and his eyes flickered up to meet with yours. One of his hands was lightly caressing your stomach, while the other was teasing your inner thigh.

"You're beautiful," he murmured against your skin.

You smiled, gently grasping his hand and leading him back up your body for a kiss. He put up no resistance, his lips meeting yours passionately. His naked body moved against yours, and you felt his stiff cock rub against your wet core.

"Stop teasing me," you said, pulling away slightly.

He grinned cheekily, lining his erection up with your entrance, his eyes hooded and filled with desire. You waited with anticipation, but the moment you both so desperately needed never came.

"Jacob?"

It was Addy, knocking on the front door. You'd both known that she was coming, but that didn't stop you from letting out an annoyed groan. Jacob turned and collapsed onto the bed beside you.

"She has the worst timing," he grumbled, lifting his hand to run it through his messy hair.

You turned onto your side, curling up against him slightly.

"Do you want me to ask her to give us a few minutes?" You asked.

His eyes became playful as they slowly appraised your form.

"I think we both know that I'd need more than _a few minutes_ ,"

You laughed, leaning up to press a quick kiss to his cheek.

"You know what I mean," you smiled at him. "I'll tell her to come back later. _Much_ later."

He definitely looked tempted, but sighed and shook his head in denial. He rolled over, pinning you underneath him and leant down to speak huskily in your ear.

"As much as I'd love to stay here and fuck you senseless, I have to go,"

He stole another passionate kiss from you, and you moaned deeply at his words and actions.

"Jacob, if you don't answer me, I'm coming in!" Addy said impatiently.

He pulled away, letting out a huff of air.

"Just a minute," he called out, before focusing his attention back onto you. "We'll continue this later, love."

"I'm counting on it," you replied with a grin.

He climbed out of bed and began dressing. You followed, moving over to put on your robe. Once the two of you were presentable, Jacob pulled you to him for one last kiss.

His lips moved slowly over yours, dragging out each movement, teasing you. He pulled you flush against him, his hands moving down to grasp your ass, squeezing firmly in appreciation.

"Don't be too late," you whispered as he pulled away.

He gave a playful nip to your bottom lip, his eyes still clearly filled with desire.

"As if I could stay away for too long," he mumbled.

"Go on then," you said with a smile, pulling away from him completely. "I'll be here when you get back."

He was clearly reluctant to leave. It was easy to ignore the outside world while the two of you were alone inside his small apartment. In there he only had to worry about you, but once he stepped outside, everything would quickly catch up with him again. You understood that it took its toll on him, but also that this was something he needed to do.

You watched as he opened the door to reveal Addy leaning against the opposite wall with her arms crossed over her chest. She looked a bit annoyed, but also slightly amused.

"Clearly I interrupted something," she observed, smirking at Jacob's still disheveled hair.

Jacob raised his hand to try and smooth it down, while glowering at her.

"I won't be gone long," he informed Addy. "Take care of her."

She simply nodded, walking inside to join you.

"Bye, love," he said to you and then he was gone.

Addy quickly made herself at home, ready to keep you company for the day. Jacob still made sure that you were never alone, seemingly fearful of Jack coming after you. You understood that if he ever knew of a potential weakness that Jacob had, he would use it.

__

* * *

__

The days passed into weeks, and soon summer would be over. It was already the end of August, but time seemed as though it was standing still. The tension seemed to grow as you all waited for Jack to make his move.

Jacob was trying to figure out where he was hiding, attempting to stop him before he could carry out whatever he was planning. But so far he'd had no luck.

It was becoming more and more common that Jacob wouldn't come home some nights. You would try and wait up for him, hoping that he'd return, but more often than not it was pointless. You could only fight off sleep for so long.

You felt like you'd only just drifted off to sleep one night, when you heard the door fly open, startling you awake.

Addy, who had been sitting in a chair by the door was quick to react, her hidden blade pointed towards the intruder in an instant.

But it was only Jacob, looking tired, stressed and overcome with worry. He shoved Addy's arm away from him in annoyance, quickly making his way over to you.

It was first light, the sky still fairly dark and you rubbed the sleep from your eyes as you sat up and studied his tense expression.

Jacob knelt down by the bed, instantly wrapping you up in his arms.

"Jacob..." you murmured, voice sounding tired. "What's happened?"

"I was worried about you," he mumbled, burying his face into your hair.

You exchanged a concerned look with Addy before she left the apartment, giving you both some privacy.

"What's going on?" You asked, returning your attention to Jacob.

You ran your fingers gently through his hair, trying to calm him.

"Mary Ann is dead," he whispered. "I sent her after Jack and he..."

Your eyes widened in horror. You knew Mary Ann. Like Addy, she had at times watched over you in Jacob's absence.

"Jacob, it's okay," you soothed him. "Don't go into details if it will upset you."

He pulled away slightly to look you in the eye. His gaze was terrified; scared that whatever had happened to Mary Ann would happen to you.

"You don't understand," he pressed. "He butchered her. _Mutilated_ her."

You looked away from him, processing his words with horror. Jack was a _monster_.

"You have to leave," Jacob continued. "I'll send Addy with you. Just get away from London."

"Jacob, no!" You protested. "It's bad enough that you have someone constantly watching over me! Don't send me away! I couldn't handle not knowing if you were okay."

"And I won't be able to stop Jack if I'm constantly worried about you!"

"I can handle myself!" You argued. " _You_ taught me."

"We've been through this!" His voice raised in anger. "If he could take out Mary Ann, who has been training for _years_ , then you won't stand a chance against him. I'll not let him hurt you. I'll drag you out of London myself if I have to!"

You sighed, knowing that he was inevitably right. You had no idea as to what Jack was capable of.

"I'm scared too," you admitted, voice softer. "I'm scared of losing you. I'm scared of leaving and not knowing whether or not you're okay. It's hard enough as it is now."

He grasped your hands in his, leaning closer to you.

"I know, love," he said. "But have a little faith in me. I _will_ come back to you. I will fight through hell itself to find my way back to you. Trust in that. Trust in _me_."

You nodded, feeling tears begin to well in your eyes as the reality of the situation caught up with you.

"Don't cry," he frowned in concern, leaning towards you.

Jacob gently pressed his lips against yours. He was slowly savouring the feeling, committing it to memory. He cupped your face in his hands, his touch loving, but steadfast.

You wrapped your arms around him, and no matter how closely you pulled his body to yours, it never seemed like enough. The tears fell against your will, and he moved his lips to your cheeks, kissing them away.

You clung to him tightly, not wanting to let go. His own hands drifted down to your waist, squeezing possessively as he shifted, moving you both so that you were lying on the bed underneath him.

"I won't let you go," he promised against your lips. "I'll be with you again before you know it."

His words made your heart soar, but you didn't want to hear anymore. You just wanted to forget and become lost in his touch.

You kissed him almost desperately, your tongue exploring his mouth, battling against his own and he let out a deep moan.

He pulled away slowly, taking your bottom lip between his teeth and dragging them sensuously against it. His kisses never ceased, moving along your neck, teeth biting and lips sucking, marking you as inarguably _his_.

His hands pulled at your nightgown, tugging the thin fabric downwards and exposing your breasts. He let out a content hum, eyes entranced by your naked chest.

"Let's get this off," he suggested, sitting you up and pulling the offending item of clothing off your body.

Once it was out of the way, his eyes raked appreciatively over you. It seemed that no matter how many times he saw you like this, he would always be mesmerised.

"God, love. You have no idea what you do to me,"

He moved his hands to squeeze both of your breasts, before lightly teasing your nipples with his fingers. They quickly became erect under his familiar touch.

You let out a breathy sigh, relishing in the feelings he was eliciting in you. All of them so deliciously _good_. Your back arched and you let out a gasp as his lips came into contact with one of your nipples.

He sucked hard, almost to the point where it was uncomfortable. But before you could even register anything that wasn't good, his tongue had darted out, licking and soothing.

You squirmed underneath him, and he ever so gently pulled your sensitive flesh in between his teeth. It wasn't enough to really hurt, as he always seemed to know your limits.

As he continued his ministrations on your breasts, your hands moved to his chest, feeling the defined muscle underneath his clothing. Your fingers began exploring downwards until they reached the waistband of his trousers.

He pulled away, eyes hooded with lust and his lips slightly swollen.

"Easy, love," he said breathlessly. "This is about you, not me."

"No, I want to touch you too," you argued softly.

Your hand continued it's exploration, coming to rest over his growing evidence of arousal. He let out a groan of desire as you gently squeezed him, his hips thrusting forward against his own will.

"L-later," he stammered, moving his hand down over yours and pulling it away. "I want to make this last as long as possible."

You reached up to his face, brushing a strand of hair away from his eyes. His eyes fluttered closed at your loving touch, and he let out a soft sigh.

"I want you," you whispered, and his eyes instantly snapped open again. " _Now_."

He looked conflicted for a few moments, clearly having an internal argument about whether he should give into your request or not.

One of his hands drifted slowly, teasingly down to your entrance. You bit your bottom lip when his fingers came into contact with your core.

"You're not quite wet enough yet, love," he observed, his voice a quiet murmur, while his eyes held a playful spark. "Let me fix that."

You knew what was coming as he moved downwards, and let out a breathy moan as he settled in between your legs.

"That's it, love," he praised, voice husky and his breath teasing your sensitive clit. "I want to hear you."

You whimpered, hands moving to his hair and tugging, trying to make him just _get on with it_. He tittered, his own hands moving to your thighs, spreading your legs further.

"So impatient," he reprimanded, his tone light and mischievous. "Relax, love. Enjoy it."

You moaned again and he rewarded you with a quick flick of his tongue against your clit.

"Jacob!"

"I love it when you call out my name," he praised, pressing a quick kiss to your stimulated bud. " _Especially_ like this. Desperate for me - needy and wanton. Isn't that right, my love?"

"Yes!" You moaned, fingers tugging harder at his hair.

He began to lick at your clit, his tongue moving slowly, purposefully teasing you.

"Please," you begged.

He pulled away, causing you to groan in frustration. His eyes gazed up at you heatedly.

"What do you want, love?" He asked.

You shook your head, not wanting to voice the words out loud. He began to lick again, his tongue moving all around, everywhere but the one spot you wanted him to pay attention to.

"Please," you panted.

"Tell me," he ordered.

"I..."

"Go on," he prompted.

His fingers tightened in their hold on your thighs, squeezing almost as if in encouragement.

"I want _you_ , Jacob," you began, breathlessly. "I want you to fuck me with your tongue, your fingers, your cock... I want your mouth on my clit until I can't bear it anymore. Until my voice is hoarse from screaming out your name."

"Fuck!" He hissed, his hands moving upwards to grab hold of your hips and pull you closer to him.

Your confidence grew, seeing what only your words could do to him.

"I want you to fuck me _hard_. Fuck me until I can't even think anymore. Fuck me and make me yours. Make it so I'll never want another, never want any other cock but yours."

"Jesus Christ," he groaned, your name leaving his lips in a breathy whisper.

He did as you asked, moving back down. You gasped as his tongue thrust into you, soft but firm all at once. While he fucked you with his tongue, his thumb began rubbing small circles over your clit.

Your moans were loud and throaty, and soon he decided to change things up a bit. He pulled his mouth and fingers away from you for a moment, looking up at your flushed face.

"You taste good," he commented, licking his lips.

"Jacob," you moaned.

He grinned, moving three fingers into you in one swift move.

"You're already really wet," he observed, his fingers thrusting in and out. "Do I really have such an affect on you, love?"

"You know you do," you panted as your hips bucked slightly.

He flicked his wrist, changing the angle slightly.

"You only get like this for me, don't you?" He purred. "No one else can make you feel this way. Isn't that right?"

"Yes," you nodded your head. "Only you."

"Good girl," he murmured, lips curved up into a smirk.

He bent down again, his mouth moving down over your clit once more, tongue flicking rapidly against you. Your hand came up to your mouth as your eyes squeezed shut.

His lips then closed over your bud, sucking as his fingers thrusted quickly. In and out. And then he was licking again, alternating between the two different kinds of stimulation.

His fingers curled, hitting that spot within you that made you cry out, your head thrown back in ecstasy. He pulled his fingers out slowly, and you expected him to thrust them back in hard, but instead he pulled them out completely.

"W-what?" You stammered, confused and overcome with desire.

He pulled his mouth away from your clit and grinned up at you cheekily.

"I was only trying to get you all good and wet, love," he reminded you. "When you cum, I want it to be with me inside of you, your walls clenching around my cock."

You moaned at his words, looking at him through hooded eyes.

"Then do it," you challenged, feeling more than ready.

He smiled at you knowingly, amused with your impatient desire to be fucked by him.

"Patience," he teased, slowly unbuttoning his waist coat. "I'm hardly dressed for the occasion."

You groaned, your head falling back onto the pillow in defeat. This didn't last long however, as you quickly sat up and pushed his hands away.

"Let me," you requested.

He nodded, swallowing thickly as he watched you undress him. You made quick work of his waistcoat, pulling it off from him and letting it fall to the floor. The other layers covering his upper body soon followed, and then his naked skin was exposed to you.

You ran your hands over his chest, feeling the light dusting of hair with your fingers. You followed the trail downwards, to where it disappeared underneath his waistband, almost invitingly.

Jacob's own hands moved to cup your ass, something you knew he loved to do. He pulled you closer to him and you pressed a kiss to his chest.

"I-I thought you needed me _now_ ," he tried to tease, but his own voice came out as breathless, betraying his own need for you.

"I do," you agreed, slowly unbuttoning his trousers. "But you deserve a taste of your own medicine."

He groaned, his head falling into the crook of your neck. You took your time to pull down his pants, allowing his erection to spring free. His head moved to the side and he began pressing several kisses to your neck as his hand moved to caress your lower stomach.

You placed a hand over his aching cock, tugging lightly, before setting a rhythm. He whispered your name, his breath fanning out over the skin of your neck.

"Please," he begged.

You knew that he wanted to cum inside you, and decided to relent. You pulled your hand away from him and instead guided him to lean back against the pillows. He watched you with awe and adoration as you straddled him.

Your hands ran over his chest, and his own came to firmly grip your hips. You couldn't help but tease him just a little more, rubbing your entrance and your clit slowly over his stiff member.

He groaned, eyes squeezing shut and his mouth opening slightly. You moved your hand to line his cock with your entrance and pushed down onto him in one quick movement.

You both moaned simultaneously, and you threw your head back at the wonderful sensation of him filling you. You started rotating your hips and his grip there tightened. Soon you were thrusting slowly and sensuously as his own hips thrust up to meet yours.

You moved his hands from you, instead grasping onto them for support as you picked up the pace. His eyes met yours and the intensity peaked at the undeniable connection between the two of you.

So much was said with just a simple gaze, and the way his eyes were filled with desire for _you_ made your confidence soar.

He pulled you closer, never breaking eye contact with you. He sat up and pulled you against his chest so that he was sitting with you in his lap, his cock buried to the helm within you.

Your breasts were pressed up against him, and he leant forward to kiss you passionately. His hips thrust upwards yet again, and at the same time, he thrust his tongue into your mouth.

He began to imitate the movement of his cock moving in and out of you, with his tongue and it turned you on to the point where you thought you might explode.

Soon you became breathless and had to pull away from him. You continued to thrust against each other as he pulled your head back by your hair, revealing your neck to him. He kissed the inviting skin, tongue flicking out teasingly as he did so.

"Jacob," you moaned.

"You feel so good," he murmured against your skin. "Fuck, you have no idea."

He flipped you over quickly, trapping your body under his once again. His thrusts quickened, his hips jerking forward frantically as he gave up with setting a steady pace.

You reached out for his hand, fingers lacing with his as he continued to move within you. You could hear it every time he thrust into you, his balls slapping against your ass. You looked down, watching as he cock disappeared into you over and over.

In, out. In, out.

"God, Jacob, I'm so close," you cried out, eyes fluttering shut.

"Look at me, love," he commanded. "I want to see you when you come undone."

You bit your lip, opening your eyes as he'd asked. His own gaze was dark, glazed over with lust. He tore his hand away from yours and moved his fingers to your clit, rubbing furiously to increase the ecstasy you were feeling.

"Cum for me," he demanded, his thrusts becoming quicker and quicker. " ** _Now_**!"

You cried out as you felt your orgasm wash over you. Your back arched, your toes curled and your head flew back as your eyes squeezed shut.

Your walls clenched down over Jacob's cock, milking him, and it was seconds later that he himself came undone. He filled you completely as he slumped forward, his head coming down to rest on your shoulder.

You lazily traced patterns across his back with your fingers, holding him to you tightly. He moved back to press kisses all over you.

"God, no one's ever made me feel like you do," he mumbled, pressing a kiss to your cheek.

You smiled, but didn't say anything, knowing that he'd said it in the afterglow of what you'd just done.

He seemed to notice though. Even in that moment, he seemed to read you like a book. He reached up his hand to brush his fingers over your cheek lovingly.

"I mean it," he assured you. "No one else has ever made me feel like this."

"I know what you mean," you replied. "I feel the same,"

He smiled, but it wasn't playful or teasing. Instead, he was affectionate and tender, looking at you as though you were his entire world.

Neither one of you spoke about the chaos going on outside. You both just wanted to enjoy that last moment together, before you were parted. You wanted to forget - even if only for a little while - that this might be the last moment you spent together like this.

 

* * *

 

Addy was waiting by the carriage as you stepped out onto the street. You placed your trunk inside, before turning to Jacob.

He was standing with his hands buried into his trouser pockets, a sad look in his eyes. Yet, there was also acceptance there. You both knew that this was the best option.

He stepped forward, but didn't come too close. He'd told you beforehand that he wouldn't be affectionate with you in public, fearful of any eyes that may be watching.

Besides, you'd both said your proper goodbyes inside.

"I'll see you soon," he promised, voice low. "Have a safe trip."

You nodded, wishing you could reach out and hug him once last time. But you resisted, instead turning to step into the carriage.

He stepped closer, grasping onto the windowsill.

"I'll make all of this up to you when you get back," he said quietly. "Just wait a little longer for me."

You nodded again, knowing that if you spoke you would say too much. You gave him what you hoped was a reassuring smile, and he returned it, but it seemed half-hearted.

Jacob pulled away, turning to exchange words with Addy who would be driving the carriage. A few moments of conversation passed between them before he turned and walked towards his apartment, never once looking back.

Addy spurred the horses into motion, and the carriage moved further and further away from him.

Your heart ached at the idea of being away from him for an unforeseeable amount of time. You just wanted this all to be over, for Jacob to be safe and with you again.

The ride went on in silence, the buildings of London passing by in a blur. You let your thoughts consume you, thinking only of happy things.

You let out a cry of shock when you felt the carriage come to an abrupt halt, flinging you forwards.

"Addy?" You called out, worried.

There was a moment of silence before she replied.

"Stay inside," she ordered, making fear creep up inside of you.

You wanted to know what was going on, unwilling to accept the idea of just sitting there, while Addy could be in danger.

Leaning over, you poked your head out of the window, only to make eye contact with one of Jack's Rooks. He grinned maliciously at you, but you refused to back down.

"There she is!" He called out to his mates.

He began walking towards you and your eyes frantically observed the scene around you. There were far too many of them for this to be a coincidence. It was clearly an ambush, leaving you and Addy severely outnumbered.

The rogue Rook flung open the carriage door and immediately dragged you out onto the street. He began pulling you along with him, but you didn't resist.

Instead, you used his movements as momentum, gaining speed, and then suddenly rammed your elbow into him, throwing him off-balance and effectively causing him to let you go.

You took the opportunity to kick him harshly in the gut, and he curled up instinctively.

"You traitorous bastards!" You yelled out, angry at the people who had betrayed Jacob.

"I wouldn't make another move, if I were you," the rough voice of a woman advised.

You looked up to see Addy surrounded, three of Jack's Rooks holding her back, while another held a gun to her head.

"Addy!" You cried out, fearful for her life.

"Don't worry about me!" She replied, not letting any sign of weakness show. "Get out of here. Don't you dare let them take you."

You knew that her words were wise, but you couldn't leave her. If you did, her death would be your fault. You could never live with yourself if she died because of you.

"I can't," you denied, shaking your head furiously. "I can't just leave you."

Addy was clearly annoyed, but you looked away from her, turning instead to face the closest turncoat Rook.

"I'll go with you," you agreed. "Just let her go."

The woman who spoke before, who must have ranked higher than the others, gave a curt nod. You soon felt several burly men holding onto you, stopping you from escaping. You didn't resist, knowing that Addy's safety depended on your cooperation.

If she could get away, then she could get to Jacob. It seemed that they wanted you alive, so playing along with them for the time being would more than likely work in your favour. However, the leader's next order made any sense of hope leave you instantly.

"Kill her," she ordered.

It seemed as though time slowed, just to torture you even more. In reality, it was over within seconds. The gun went off and you saw the life leave Addy's eyes as she slumped forward, instantly dead.

"No!" You screened, fighting against the men holding you. "You bloody bastards! You monsters!"

"Take her," the woman ordered, not even sparing you a glance.

You fought with every fibre of your being to escape the hands holding you in place. Your vision became blurry from all of the tears you shed for the loss of your friend. She had saved you, watched over you, and now she was dead because of you.

Your howling sobs didn't stop for hours. Not as you were dragged away from her. Not as you were shoved into an old factory. Not as you were bound tightly into a chair, unable to escape. Not even when you were faced with the image of Jack himself.

"Shut up," he snarled, backhanding you across the face.

Only then did your crying cease.

You glared up at him defiantly, eyes narrowed into slits. He was obviously supposed to be intimidating. With his large build, and his face covered by a cotton sack. ...Or was it a pillowcase?

Either way, he didn't scare you. He was only a man under that mask.

"Too afraid to face me, coward?" You spat at him. "Why don't you show me what's under that mask, you traitorous scum?"

He growled in annoyance, reaching out to roughly grasp hold of your chin, pulling your face upwards. You didn't waver, staring him down.

"You think I'm the traitor?" He asked lowly. "You should watch what you say to me, _girl_. I could gut you like a fish."

"Go on then," you challenged. " ** _Do_** **_it_**."

He backed away slightly, clearly annoyed at his own inability to scare you.

"You clearly want me alive," you observed, voice nonchalant. "I'd already be dead otherwise. So stop threatening me, because that's not going to work."

He paused, clearly thinking over your words.

"I don't have to kill you," he reminded you. "I can send you back to Jacob, piece by piece."

"Didn't I just tell you that threatening me was useless?" You asked him. "My, my, you're a slow learner, aren't you? Of course, you could torture me, cut into me, slice me up to your hearts content. But you won't."

"And why is that, _little girl_?"

"Because you can't control yourself, can you?" You observed. "I can see that even now it's taking everything for you to restrain yourself and not kill me. If you let yourself slip - even just a little - you won't be able to stop."

He flinched, and took a slight step back, encouraging you on further.

"You need me alive to get to Jacob," you taunted him. "So I'm not afraid of you."

He stared you down, his eyes hardly visible through the small holes in his mask. You didn't back down, staring right back at him, and he eventually gave up.

You watched as he turned, walking out of the room and slamming the door behind him. You waited several moments before letting out a shaky breath of relief. You'd been bluffing mostly, knowing that if you'd let him sense even the slightest amount of fear within you, you would have been giving him all the power.

There was no way that could happen, as you needed to stay strong.

Thankfully, it seemed to have payed off for the time being. You glanced around the large room, completely alone and finally able to absorb everything that had happened.

 

* * *

 

Jacob was _furious_.

One of his Assassin's had found Addy's body, left to rot on the streets. There had been no sign of you, and he allowed himself to hope that you were alive, being held hostage somewhere.

He wouldn't allow himself to even _think_ of the alternative.

Jacob had gone to the scene himself, his body tense and his jaw tight with anger. He knew it wasn't Jack's work. A simple bullet to the head?

"No, that's not his _style_ ," Jacob said to himself, bitterly.

This was the work of the Rooks. He just knew it. The people he'd devoted so much of his life to. The people who had betrayed him so easily. His fists clenched at his sides as he thought over the true depth of what they had done.

It was one thing to turn their backs on him. It was another to kill his friend, his sister of the brotherhood in cold blood.

It was a whole other story for them to take someone that he loved and put their life in danger.

He would hunt down every last one of the turncoat Rooks, he would burn the city to the ground, he would do _anything_ if it meant that he could find you.

 

* * *

 

Your stomach grumbled in protest. You deduced that it had been at least twenty-four hours since you'd first been brought to this room. Since the traitor, Jack, had left, no one else had entered.

You knew that there were several of them out there, as you'd heard their voices often enough. When your hunger had first become far too obvious to ignore, you'd called out to them.

Yet, no answer came, and you remained hungry. It was an obvious punishment for your defiance against Jack. Sure, he couldn't hurt you with his own hands, but he could certainly make you suffer in other ways.

You wondered why he didn't let one of the Rooks beat you. It had been at the back of your mind when you'd spoken to him, and you'd been constantly fearful that he would realise the opportunity his Rooks gave him. But the idea never even seemed to enter his mind.

And then suddenly, you realised why.

Jack's vendetta against Jacob was extremely personal. There was no way he would let others do his dirty work for him. If he was going to to hurt Jacob, _he_ would be the one to do it. The realisation let you breathe slightly easier.

You'd tried to escape, but the iron shackles that bound your wrists behind you, and your body to the chair, made it impossible. You were stuck there for the time being, unable to do anything.

 

* * *

 

"Where is she?" Jacob roared.

He was straddling the man underneath him, beating him senseless, his fists constantly in contact with the other man's body.

He paused, giving the former Rook a chance to answer. However he only grinned up at his former boss, his teeth coated with blood. He lifted his head slightly and spat some of that blood right into Jacob's face.

"Get fucked!" The man slurred, and Jacob's fists were on him again.

He was beyond frustrated, beyond angry. The lifeless bodies of countless Rooks were littered around him, and still he was no closer to finding you.

None of them had been willing to betray Jack, and yet they'd so easily betrayed him. Was he truly such a useless leader?

He'd lost his Rooks, he'd lost Jack, he'd lost you... he'd sent more Assassin's after Jack, too preoccupied with finding you, and he'd lost those girls also.

Enough was enough.

He'd sent word to the council, even to some of the other councils across Europe, asking for assistance. He'd even sent word to Evie. They were basically sending him an army of Assassins to take on Jack.

Jacob wouldn't allow himself to lose this fight. He would find you, he would stop Jack...even if it killed him.

 

* * *

 

You had finally been given some water. They didn't want you dead, after all. But still, you had not eaten. You felt weak, and knew that several days had passed.

You wondered how long a person could survive without food. Days? Weeks? You tried to keep your strength up, but without sustenance that was a hard feat.

Your head rose up groggily as you heard the door open. You had expected one of Jack's Rooks, but instead you were greeted by the man himself.

"Hungry, little girl?" He taunted, making his way over to you.

"What do you want?" You cut straight to the point.

He gestured behind him and you saw a man entering with a camera. You instantly stiffened. What was Jack up to? The photographer set up the tripod and Jack came to stand behind you.

You flinched as the killer's hands came down to hold your shoulders in a tight grip. The photographer ducked under the curtain, ready to start.

"Hold still," Jack growled at you.

He moved a hand over your neck, squeezing lightly, but not enough to cut off your airways. Your eyes widened in fear at the exact moment the camera went off, taking the picture.

Jack withdrew from you, and you let out a sigh of relief. He moved to stand in front of you, reaching out to your jaw and trying to coax you to open your mouth. You refused to budge, not understanding his motives.

He roughly plunged his gloved fingers into your mouth, effectively causing your lips to part. You wanted to vomit, feeling this vile man's hands on you.

"Open wide," he ordered, his voice taunting you, before barking out an order to the Rooks in the hall. "Bring in the food!"

A female Rook obeyed, bringing in some bread. He snatched it away from her before shoving into your mouth.

"Eat!" He commanded.

You obeyed, only because you were starving. Your eyes glared daggers at him as he stared down at you. It unnerved you to be in the same room as him. No matter how sensical it was to eat, you still felt annoyed that the food had come from _him_.

He continued to feed you, and he seemed to get amusement from how derogatory the act was. You were glad when it was over, hoping that he'd leave you alone. No such luck though, as he instead leant down to be at eye level with you.

"Jacob's not even looking for you," he taunted.

"Go to hell!" You snapped, not believing him for even a second.

"What do you think that photograph was for?" He challenged. "I thought he needed a little extra incentive."

Your blood went cold at his words.

"You'd better hope it works, little girl," he continued. "Or else there won't be anything keeping you alive."

He left you to mull over his words, turning and leaving the room. Leaving you to the mercy of your own mind.

 

* * *

 

"God dammit!" Jacob yelled, slamming his fist down onto his desk.

He quickly took the photograph, crumpling it in his hand and throwing it away.

The motive was obvious. Jack was clearly taunting him. He didn't need a letter to tell him that.

_She's fine enough for now, but how long do you expect that to last?_

Jack's words had mocked him.

_The clock's ticking, Jacob. Come and find me, or she dies._

He couldn't get the image of you out of his head. Although there were no physical blemishes _yet_ , you were clearly weak and exhausted. And then there had been the look in your eyes... You'd looked scared and helpless.

And it was _his_ fault for not being able to protect you.

"God, what have I done to you, love?" He asked out loud, his voice broken and defeated.

He slumped into his chair, burying his head into his hands. Jack was right though. Time was running out. The longer he sat there, doing nothing, the slimmer your chance of survival was.

Sucking in a shaky breath, Jacob rose from his seat. He'd killed so many Rooks now, that there were few left. But he knew that this meant his odds of finding you were greater.

Grabbing his coat, he went back out into the streets of Whitechapel, determined to save you, no matter what the cost.

 

* * *

 

Evie stepped off the train, feeling odd to be back in London. She looked around her sharply, her heightened senses taking in everything.

Therefore, she didn't startle when she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"You must be Evie Frye,"

She turned to see a young man and nodded curtly at him.

"And you are?" She enquired.

"Jacques Arnaud," he responded. "From the French Brotherhood."

Evie quirked a brow at him.

"Jacob sent for you?" She asked.

"Oui," he replied. "He has sent for assistance from many of the European Brotherhoods. The situation is very dire, but unfortunately many are still yet to arrive."

Evie's brow furrowed with worry. Could it really be that bad? She needed to speak with her twin directly.

"Take me to him," she requested.

Jacques suddenly looked uncomfortable.

"He's not really in a good state," Jacques informed her.

Those words only caused Evie's concern to grow.

"I need to see him," she pressed and he let out a resolute sigh.

"Fine, follow me,"

 

* * *

 

"Jacob!" Evie exclaimed, rushing over to her brother and embracing him.

His arms tightened around her almost desperately, and she swore that her heart broke in that moment.

"Evie," he breathed out in a sigh of relief.

"What's happened?" She asked, pulling away slightly to look him in the eye.

He glanced uncertainly over at Jacques, and the Frenchman took the hint, leaving and giving them some privacy.

"They took her," Jacob whispered brokenly once the other man was gone.

"Took who?" Evie asked, concerned.

He didn't reply. He just pointed to a crumpled piece of paper on the floor. Pulling away from him slowly, Evie walked over and picked it up.

She smoothed it out, revealing a photograph of a young woman being held by a large, imposing man. His hand was around her neck, though it was hard to tell if he was strangling her or not.

He seemed to be wearing a sack over his head, hiding his identity from the rest of the world.

"Why did he take her?" Evie asked her twin.

"Because I love her," Jacob replied without hesitation.

She looked over at him, seeing his face crumpled up in defeat.

"Oh, Jacob," she sighed, moving over to comfort him again.

"I have to find her, Evie!" He insisted.

"I know," she nodded. "We will. We'll find her, Jacob."

 

* * *

 

Evie was always better when it came to stealth, and Jacob had never been more appreciative of it than he was in that moment.

It was almost certain that she'd found you.

The two twins were currently tailing the Rook who was their lead, and if everything went according to plan, he would soon have you in his arms again.

"Patience, Jacob," Evie cautioned from beside him. "We can't rush headlong into this. Don't jeopardise her safety."

He simply nodded, not bothering to argue with his sister. He was able to admit that she was right in this case. He wouldn't let anything else threaten your wellbeing.

The two of them stalked after the Rook until they finally arrived at an old factory. It looked to be abandoned; the perfect hiding spot.

They waited until the Rook had disappeared into the building before formulating a plan. Evie reasoned that their primary objective should be getting you out.

As much as Jacob wanted to slaughter every last one of the traitorous Rooks who'd taken you, he agreed with his sister. That could all come later.

They scaled the walls of the building before pulling up onto the roof. Evie quickly spotted an open hatch and shook her head in disbelief.

"Will they never learn?" She muttered to herself.

Jacob didn't pay her any mind, quickly running over to the entry point and disappearing underneath.

"Jacob!" Evie hissed, rushing after him.

When she dropped down into the room below, it was to find four of Jack's Rooks dead, lying on the floor in puddles of their own blood.

"Let's go," Jacob said, moving away from the bodies.

Evie followed, frowning at Jacob's behaviour. Of course, she hadn't seen him in years, but he was so tense and serious. So unlike himself. She could only hope that you were safe, as she feared his reaction if you weren't.

Jacob peered around the corner, discerning how many enemies he had to get through. A door down the hallway was heavily guarded, and he prayed that it led to you.

He counted 12 of Jack's Rooks, and he knew that he needed to go about this carefully. If any of them alerted the others in the building, he and Evie would be more than outnumbered. He couldn't allow your life to be put at risk in any way. If he was captured or killed, Jack would have no purpose for you anymore.

He stepped back into the room, turning to face Evie. They began to formulate a plan of attack, and Evie was more than a little uneasy with the way Jacob never challenged her, always accepting her suggestions.

Clearly you were incredibly important to him.

 

* * *

 

Your head snapped up as you heard muffled cries out in the hallway. There was clearly some sort of commotion going on, but nobody called out. You strained your ears, trying to figure out what was happening, but it was no use.

Your heart almost stopped when the door swung open to reveal a man you'd thought you'd surely never see again.

He reached you in a few long strides, dropping to his knees in front of you, his expression filled with grief and worry.

"Jacob..." you whispered, tears forming in your eyes.

His eyes were looking frantically all over you, searching for any sign of injury. When he found none, Jacob finally allowed his gaze to meet yours.

"He didn't hurt you?" He asked softly.

"No, not really," you reassured him.

He leant forward, pressing his forehead against your own and letting out a long sigh of relief.

"I was so worried," he admitted brokenly. "I thought he would kill you."

"I'm okay," you promised, trying to comfort him. "It's going to be alright, my love,"

He wrapped his arms around your waist as best he could, but quickly remembered the position you were in. He pulled away and began to examine the chains binding you.

"Jacob, we don't have much time,"

You looked up, noticing for the first time a woman, much the same age as Jacob. Introductions could wait for the time being, however, and you waited patiently as the two began to work at freeing you. They used lock-picks, and before long you were finally free of the heavy chains.

Your arms fell limply to your sides, stiff and sore from being behind you for so long. You attempted to stand, but your legs were too weak and you just fell right back into the chair.

"I'll have to carry you, love," Jacob said.

You nodded and he bent down, picking you up into his arms. You weren't able to hold onto him - the action requiring too much strength - and so he had to support your weight entirely. He never wavered though, holding you like you weighed nothing.

The woman took the lead, heading back out into the hall. Jacob followed her, looking down at you worriedly.

"Don't worry," he murmured. "You're safe now. I'm never letting you go again."

"I know," you said, trying to give him a reassuring smile.

 

* * *

 

"So, you're Jacob's twin?" You asked the woman, Evie.

She nodded, smiling at you.

"It's nice to meet you," she said. "Despite the circumstances."

You couldn't help but let out a small laugh in agreement.

"Likewise,"

You were back at home, in Jacob's apartment, laying comfortably in his bed. He walked back into the room, sitting beside his sister at the side of the bed, handing her a cup of tea.

He had another cup for you, and helped you to drink it. It reminded you of that time, which now seemed like so long ago, when he had nursed you back to health after first meeting you.

"I'll leave you two to have some privacy," Evie offered, standing up. "I'll come back tomorrow, Jacob."

She gave a gentle squeeze to her brother's shoulder and then left.

The sky had grown dark, and you found yourself feeling exhausted. Jacob wouldn't take his eyes off you, almost as though you would disappear again if he did.

"I'm sorry you had to save me again," you whispered.

"I'd save you a thousand times over, love," he replied. "That's all I want. For you to be safe."

"I know," you replied with a small smile.

"You would tell me if he hurt you, right?" He asked, leaning forward slightly.

His eyes were full of worry, and you wondered why.

"Yes," you assured him. "You checked me over yourself."

"There are other ways to hurt a woman," he commented softly.

You stiffened and quickly shook your head. You were repulsed by the very idea of it.

"No," you firmly told him. "The worst he did was not give me food for days on end."

His shoulders sagged in obvious relief, and he reached forward to take your hand in his.

"I'd never forgive myself if he'd hurt you," he revealed.

"Jacob, it's not your fault," you told him, squeezing his hand as best you could. "You did everything in your power to get me somewhere safe."

"But it wasn't enough," he argued gently.

"It was out of your control," you corrected him. "And you came for me. I wasn't badly hurt and I'm here now. Don't let guilt drag you down."

He straightened a little at your words and regarded you with affection.

"I've had a lot of time to think," he said. "I want you to stay here with me."

"Of course," you answered, confused. "I'm not going anywhere."

"I meant indefinitely," he elaborated, his eyes searching yours.

"Jacob," you smiled, eyes softening. "I'm yours for as long as you'll want me."

"I'll never stop wanting you," was his instant reply.

Your heart swelled, and you couldn't help but grin at him.

"Come here," you tugged on his hand gently, not strong enough to actually pull him to you.

He obliged, leaning over you, but careful not to hurt you. His hand moved up to gently caress your cheek.

"I love you," he admitted softly, looking almost scared to hear your answer.

You didn't leave him waiting for long, lifting your head up to kiss him.

"I love you too," you returned, lips brushing against his own.

He pressed down harder, stopping any further conversation with a deep kiss. His mouth's movements were loving and affectionate, his lips moving tantalisingly against your own.

Jacob's hands cradled your head gently, showing how special you were to him. He was so careful with you, clearly afraid of losing you again. You didn't tease him as you had once before, instead you understood his need to prove to himself that you were safe.

The kiss was far too short for your liking, but deep down you knew that rest was the most important thing for you right now. He slowly pulled away from you, but you tugged on his hand, stopping him.

"Don't stay in that chair all night," you said softly. "I want to feel you sleeping next to me."

He sighed, but relented anyway, probably needing the contact as much as you did. He undressed and then climbed into bed beside you. Instantly, you curled into him and his arms wrapped around you reflexively.

"You'll be going out again tomorrow, won't you?" You asked gently, snuggling into his chest.

"Love..."

"It's alright," you interrupted him. "I understand. This has to end. He needs to be stopped."

He let out a sigh of relief when he realised you weren't going to protest.

"I'll finish this," he promised you, pressing a kiss to the top of your head. "Then this will all be over."

 

* * *

 

Jacob stepped through piles of rubble and ash. Smoke was still heavy in the air, as was the smell of burnt flesh. He ignored the unpleasant combination, looking around him in resignation.

It was over. Finally, it was over. Yet, he couldn't help but feel empty.

He had loved Jack once. Like a son in a way. He had seen the lad grow up, trained him, taught him the ways of the order. He allowed himself to mourn the boy he'd once known, but in his heart he couldn't ignore the things he'd done, couldn't forgive him for his betrayal.

He looked out at the remains of the old factory, where you had been bound to that chair for far too long. He'd burnt the entire building to the ground, along with the Rooks inside it. He didn't think there was a single one of Jack's Rooks left. He'd spared no one in his rage.

Jacob's sense of betrayal was also great when it came to those men and women. He'd spent so much time with them, seeing them as his brothers and sisters. His heart was heavy with his actions, but he couldn't ignore the anger he still felt at all the wrongs they'd done to him.

The other Assassin's who had come to aid Jacob were currently cleaning up the mess that had been left behind after Jack's death. He'd killed the man himself, with the aid of his twin. He didn't think he'd ever forget her cries of: ' _you won't make a monster out of me_!'.

He was proud of the woman Evie had become, and glad to have had her fighting by his side again.

Jacob allowed himself one last look at the evidence of his own anger. He mourned for the memory of the people who were once his Rooks, but wouldn't allow himself to dwell on it. Such pain and suffering was better left behind. It was time for new beginnings.

A soft hand on his shoulder caused him to turn around. It was Evie, giving him an understanding smile.

"Don't beat yourself up, brother," she advised. "You still have a lot to fight for."

"I know," he said softly, returning her smile.

"Come on, let's go home," she gently led him away from the sight and through the streets of Whitechapel.

Jack's reign of terror had come to a close. Perhaps the world would never forget the atrocities he'd committed, but they would never know who he truly was, or how far his influence had spread.

But it was better that way. The less people who knew about him, the better. It was easier to fear an idea, than a man who had once just been a young, scared boy. The world would never know the real Jack the Ripper, or of his connection to the Assassins.

 

* * *

 

You stirred when you heard movement in the room, suddenly alert to a possible intrusion.

"Don't worry, love, it's just me,"

You let out a sigh of relief at hearing Jacob's voice. The familiar sound of him getting undressed was all that could be heard in the room, and then he climbed into bed next to you.

It was dark, as the hour was late. You'd been asleep for several hours before he returned. He pulled you to him, pressing kisses all over your face. You smiled at his actions, pulling him closer to you.

"Is it done?" You asked tentatively, not wanting to ruin the moment, but your need to know was too great.

"Yes," he breathed out, squeezing his arms slightly around you. "It's over."

"Are you okay?" You pressed, concerned.

"I am now," he replied, moving his kisses to your neck.

"I love you," you whispered, enjoying his touch.

"I love you too," he answered.

And then his lips were upon yours, silencing you with a kiss.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The move the reader uses against the Rook who pulls her from the carriage is one of the first Kung Fu moves I ever learned. If you ever find yourself in the situation where someone is dragging you against your will, don't fight them! Use their actions for momentum. Run with them. Then use the speed to push against them roughly, as this will catch them off-guard and cause them to lose their balance.
> 
> Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed!

**Author's Note:**

> Addy is supposed to be a female Assassin, but as the reader doesn't know about all of that, it's never mentioned. 
> 
> I'm considering a second chapter, showing what happens during the Autumn of Terror. Let me know if you guys would be interested in that.


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